Please note: While the BankersEdge Mortgage Lending Series includes ALL of the NMLS-approved content for both the pre-licensing and continuing education programs, it is not the full NMLS-approved experience. For more information about the fully-accredited experience and special partner rates through TrainingPro, please contact your BankersEdge Account Executive. BankersEdge is proud to announce our newly expanded mortgage lending learning library for deposi-tory institutions, made available through our
partnership with TrainingPro—the industry’s leading National Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS)-ap-proved content provider.
BankersEdge now offers two solutions specifically designed for mortgage professionals of depository institutions.
#1 – Full, NMLS-approved certification through partner, TrainingPro #2 – Mortgage Lending Series through BankersEdge
Contact your BankersEdge account executive at 877-999-EDGE for more information.
The following mortgage lending pre-licensing education courses feature NMLS-approved content and are divided into four modules, each aligned with the National SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Test content outline. The first module is Federal Mortgage-Related Laws. This module covers the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), the Truth-in-Lending Act (TILA), and the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act (SAFE Act), as well as additional federal laws and guidelines. The second module, General Mortgage Knowledge, covers mortgage programs, mortgage loan products, and terms used in the operation of the mortgage market. Mortgage Loan Origination Activities, the third module, covers application information and requirements, qualification, appraisals, title reports, specific program guidelines, closing, and financial calculations. The fourth and final module, Ethics, pertains to federal mortgage laws, appraisal
practices, fraud, and ethical behavior.
The pre-licensing education program is available in its entirety or by module only. Courses are not offered on an individual basis.
Module 1: Federal Mortgage-Related Laws
This module contains 19 courses and is offered as part of the BankersEdge Mortgage Lending Series, or as a stand-alone program. Courses within this module are not offered on an individual basis.
ML - FML - A Look at the Homeowners Protection Act
15 MIN. Private mortgage insurance (PMI) protects the lender in the event that a borrower defaults on a loan, and it is required when a borrower makes a down payment of less than 20% and the loan-to-value ratio is high. Congress passed the Homeowners Protection Act (HPA) in 1998 to facilitate the cancellation of private mortgage insurance. The Homeowners Protection Act provides for the automatic termination of PMI as borrowers build equity, and the risk of loss from default decreases. This course provides an overview of the HPA, reviews definitions important for under-standing the law and information related to required disclosures, and reviews practices prohibited by the HPA.
ML - FML - Do Not Call Implementation Act
15 MIN. The Do-Not-Call Implementation Act was signed into law in 2003 as part of earlier legislation—the Telemar-keting Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act and the TelemarTelemar-keting Sales Rule. The Do-Not-Call Implementation Act authorized the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to implement and enforce the Do-Not-Call Registry. Under the original provisions of the Telemarketing Act, consumers were required to renew their entry in the registry every five years. Following amendments made by the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, phone numbers added to the registry become permanent. This course provides an overview of the Do-Not-Call provisions, reviews prohibitions of the Telemarketing Sales Rule, and provides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance understanding of the material.
PRE-LICENSING EDUCATION COURSES
ML - FML - Equal Credit Opportunity Act
15 MIN. In 1974, Congress enacted the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) to eliminate discriminatory treatment
of credit applicants. The primary reason for the enactment of ECOA was anecdotal evidence that women were not treated on an equal basis with men when applying for credit. ECOA and its regulations, known as Regulation B, are intended to promote the availability of credit to all creditworthy applicants regardless of gender, race, color, reli-gion, national origin, marital status, age, and regardless of the fact that the applicant receives income from a public assistance program or has exercised his or her rights under the Consumer Credit Protection Act. This course provides an overview of ECOA, reviews definitions important for understanding the law and information related to required disclosures, reviews lending practices prohibited by ECOA, and provides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance under-standing of the Act.
ML - FML - FCRA & FACTA
30 MIN. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that was enacted in 1970 as an amendment to
the Consumer Credit Protection Act. Its purpose is to improve accuracy, impartiality, privacy, and fairness in credit reporting by imposing special requirements on consumer reporting agencies, companies that supply information to consumer reporting agencies, and companies that use consumers’ personal information. In 2003, Congress added additional provisions to FCRA with the enactment of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA). Congress adopted these additional provisions in order to address the problem of identity theft, to facilitate consumers’ access to the information retained by CRAs, and to improve the accuracy of consumer reports. This course provides an overview of FCRA and FACTA, reviews definitions important for understanding both laws and information related to required disclosures and notifications, and discusses prohibited practices and penalties for violations.
ML - FML - Home Mortgage Disclosure Act
15 MIN. Congress enacted the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) in 1975 to discourage creditors from
denying loans to qualified applicants because of the applicants’ race, a practice also known as “redlining,” and to encourage lending institutions to provide loans to the consumers in their communities. HMDA requires covered lend-ing institutions to submit reports about their mortgage lendlend-ing activities in order to help citizens and public officials de-termine whether institutions are serving the housing needs of the communities in which they are located and to assist public officials to determine how to best use public sector investments in order to encourage private sector investment. This course provides an overview of HMDA, reviews definitions important for understanding the law and information related to data collection and reporting requirements, and reviews penalties for violations of HMDA.
ML - FML - Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act
30 MIN. In 1994, Congress adopted the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA) in response to the
growing use of abusive mortgage lending terms and practices in the subprime market. The name of the law reflects its goal, which is to protect the homeownership of Americans by discouraging the origination of loans that are based entirely on available home equity without consideration of repayment ability. HOEPA created these protections by adding provisions to the Truth-in-Lending Act (TILA) that require originators of HOEPA loans to avoid specific lending terms and practices and to provide borrowers with special disclosures. This course provides an overview of HOEPA, explains which types of loans are covered under the law, explains the required disclosures and notifications for such loans, and reviews the requirements outlined by HOEPA for the evaluation of borrower repayment ability and counsel-ing, as well as prohibited terms and practices.
ML - FML - Introduction to the Dodd-Frank Act
15 MIN. Waves of defaults on subprime home loans and the rapid unraveling of the market began in March 2007,
and the impact of these losses is still determining the economic forecast. Congress addressed the crisis with the en-actment of new legislation, specifically the passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act). The law addresses a broad range of issues that relate to financial and investment activities, including mortgage lending and investing. This course provides an overview of the Dodd-Frank Act and reviews the most pertinent Titles and Subtitles within the Act.
ML - FML - Introduction to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
15 MIN. Privacy rights are a significant concern for mortgage professionals who are involved in the processing,
closing, and servicing of mortgage loans. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB Act) protects the privacy of nonpublic personal information that is provided by individual consumers and customers. It is vital for mortgage professionals to understand this Act in order to properly protect an individual’s privacy during the loan process. This course pro-vides an overview of the GLB Act, reviews definitions important for understanding the law and information related to required disclosures, and reviews prohibited practices and information related to the Safeguards Rule.
ML - FML - Introduction to the Truth-in-Lending Act
15 MIN. Congress enacted the Truth-in-Lending Act (TILA) as Title I of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA). TILA
is a law that is intended to protect consumers in the financial marketplace by providing them with disclosures that will help them to understand the financial products that they are purchasing. The stated purpose of the law is to encour-age the “informed use of credit” by assuring that consumers are able to compare more readily the various credit terms available to them. This course provides an overview of TILA, explains which types of loans are covered under the law , reviews definitions important for understanding TILA’s provisions, and reviews the criminal and civil penalties for violations of TILA.
ML - FML - Introduction to the USA PATRIOT Act
15 MIN. The USA Patriot Act (the Patriot Act) was enacted in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The portions of the Patriot Act that impact mortgage lending transactions are contained in Title III, which is called the International Money Laundering Abatement and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act of 2001. The Patriot Act strengthens the U.S. government’s ability to take action to address money laundering. This course provides an overview of the Patriot Act and explains the entities that are required to comply with the law and the specific requirements for such entities.
ML - FML - Mortgage Assistance Relief Services (MARS Rule)
15 MIN. On December 1, 2010, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published its final rule to regulate mortgage
assistance relief services (MARS) providers. This final rule includes provisions creating prohibited practices, special disclosures, and recordkeeping requirements for MARS providers. The rule is intended to protect “consumers,” who are defined as any persons obligated under any loan secured by a dwelling. In 2011, the CFPB republished the MARS Rule, making technical changes to reflect the transfer of implementation and enforcement authority from the FTC to the CFPB. This course provides an overview of the MARS Rule, reviews definitions important for understanding the law and information related to required disclosures, and reviews recordkeeping requirements and those represen-tations prohibited for MARS providers.
ML - FML - Mortgage Fraud Laws At A Glance
15 MIN. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines mortgage fraud as the intentional falsification of the truth in order to induce another person to part with something of value or to surrender a legal right as a result of the falsifica-tion. Fraud threatens the overall soundness of the entire mortgage market, and it is a crime that impacts consumers and industry professionals alike. This course provides an overview of mortgage fraud laws and an explanation of Fraud for Profit and Fraud for Housing, and reviews federal laws relating to mortgage fraud and discuss the various types of fraud.
ML - FML - Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act — Part I
30 MIN. The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) was enacted in 1974 to provide protection for consumers throughout the loan origination process and during and after closing. RESPA assists consumers in selecting appropri-ate settlement services, and eliminappropri-ates fraudulent costs associappropri-ated with settlement services, such as kickbacks and referral fees. This course provides an overview of RESPA and review definitions of important terms, explains the Good Faith Estimate, and reviews ways that RESPA protects consumers after closing.
ML - FML - Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act — Part II
30 MIN. The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) was enacted in 1974 to provide protection for consumers throughout the loan origination process and during and after closing. RESPA assists consumers in selecting appropri-ate settlement services, and eliminappropri-ates fraudulent costs associappropri-ated with settlement services, such as kickbacks and referral fees. This course provides an overview of RESPA, reviews record retention requirements, prohibited practices, and penalties for violations of RESPA, and reviews upcoming changes to RESPA, specifically in regards to the use of new disclosure forms which will be effective August 2015.
ML - FML - Regulations for Higher-Priced Mortgages
30 MIN. In 1994, Congress adopted the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA) in response to the growing use of abusive mortgage lending terms and practices in the subprime market. In 2008, the Federal Reserve Board attempted to make protections available to more borrowers in the subprime market by writing a new set of regulations that apply to “higher-priced mortgage loans.” This course provides an overview of the regulations for higher-priced mortgages, and reviews requirements related to escrow accounts and appraisals.
ML - FML - Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act
15 MIN. In 2008, and in response to the mortgage lending crisis, the federal government sought to ensure minimum licensing standards for all mortgage loan originators with the enactment of the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mort-gage Licensing Act of 2008 (SAFE Act). The SAFE Act attempts to make licensing requirements for state-regulated mortgage professionals more uniform by requiring every state to meet minimum standards for all loan originators. This course provides an overview of the SAFE Act, reviews requirements related to licensure and registration, background checks, education, testing, and the demonstration of financial responsibility, and provides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance understanding of the material.
ML - FML - The Red Flag Rules
15 MIN. The Red Flags Rule is a measure included in FACTA to address identity theft. A “red flag” is defined as a pattern, practice, or specific activity that indicates the possible existence of identity theft. Enforcement of the Red Flags Rule was effective December 31, 2010. This course provides an overview of the Red Flags Rule, reviews definitions important for understanding the law and requirements of the Rule, and discusses examples of red flags.
ML - FML - TILA Advertising and Right to Rescission
30 MIN. Congress enacted the Truth-in-Lending Act (TILA) as Title I of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA). TILA is a law that is intended to protect consumers in the financial marketplace by providing them with disclosures that will help them to understand the financial products that they are purchasing. The stated purpose of the law is to encourage the “informed use of credit” by assuring that consumers are able to compare more readily the various credit terms available to them. This course provides an overview of TILA provisions related to advertising and the right of rescission, discusses the format and content of the notice of the right to rescind, reviews the distinction between the three-business-day and three-year right to rescind, and discusses advertising rules as they apply to open-end and closed-end loans.
ML - FML - TILA Disclosure Requirements
45 MIN. Congress enacted the Truth-in-Lending Act (TILA) as Title I of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA). TILA is a law that is intended to protect consumers in the financial marketplace by providing them with disclosures that will help them to understand the financial products that they are purchasing. The stated purpose of the law is to encour-age the “informed use of credit” by assuring that consumers are able to compare more readily the various credit terms available to them. This course provides an overview of TILA provisions related to disclosures required under the law, discusses the standards for stating the cost of credit in the form of finance charges and APR, provides information on the TIL Disclosure Statement, explains disclosures such as the CHARM Booklet, loan program disclosures, the rate/ payment change disclosure, and the initial rate adjustment disclosure, and provides a “Discussion Scenario,” graph-ics of the Finance Charge Chart, and a sample TIL Disclosure Statement.
Module 2: General Mortgage Knowledge
This module contains 8 courses and is offered as part of the BankersEdge Mortgage Lending Series, or as a stand-alone program. Courses within this module are not offered on an individual basis.
ML - GMK - Adjustable-Rate Mortgages
15 MIN. An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) is one in which the interest rate may change one or more times during
the life of the loan. Consequently, payment amounts may change. Adjustable-rate mortgages are not a common loan product in today’s marketplace. This course provides an overview of adjustable-rate mortgages, reviews information related to the calculation of interest rate increases for ARMs, caps, and the various types of ARM products, and pro-vides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance understanding of the material.
ML - GMK - Basic Loan Products
45 MIN. There are various mortgage programs currently available in the industry. Generally, mortgages may be
cate-gorized as conventional or non-conventional. Non-conventional mortgages are insured or guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), or the Rural Housing Service (RHS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), while conventional mortgages are not. Conventional mortgages may be either conforming, meaning they meet loan limits and other standards to qualify for purchase by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, or they may be non-conforming, meaning they do not meet such standards. FHA loans, VA loans, and RHS loans are non-conventional loans. This course provides an overview of basic loan products, reviews conforming and non-conforming loans and reviews FHA, VA, and RHS loans.
ML - GMK - Fixed-Rate Mortgages
15 MIN. A fixed-rate mortgage is one in which the interest rate is set from the time the loan is closed and does not
change during the life of the loan. Consequently, payment amounts and the loan term remain unchanged. Fixed-rate mortgages are the most common loan product in today’s marketplace, specifically the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage; in fact, any loan other than a 30-year fixed-rate is considered nontraditional under federal mortgage lending standards. This course provides an overview of fixed-rate mortgages, reviews prepayment strategies and the various fixed-rate loans offered by the FHA, VA, and the USDA, and provides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance understanding of the material.
ML - GMK - Guidances: A Federal Reaction to Mortgage Downturn
15 MIN. The Interagency Guidance on Nontraditional Mortgage Product Risks and the Statement on Subprime
Mort-gage Lending were developed by the federal banking regulatory agencies in response to the decline of the mort-gage market. While these guidances did not have the effect of law, they were vital to re-establishing common-sense lending practices. The standards outlined in the guidances have now been codified in new and revised mortgage laws and regulations aimed at ensuring responsible lending practices. This course provides an overview of the guid-ances, reviews the reasoning behind their issuance and the recommendations contained within each, and discusses the current and future guidelines.
ML - GMK - History of Mortgage Lending
15 MIN. The history of mortgage lending that is directly relevant to mortgage origination today dates back to the
early twentieth century. Early on, lending occurred almost entirely through depository institutions. The triggering event of the 1929 lending crisis was the stock market crash that led panicked depositors to withdraw their money from banks, leaving lenders with no money to fund loans. In addition, banks struggled to collect mortgage payments, and many homeowners lost their homes. This course provides an overview of the history of mortgage lending, reviews information related to the creation and expansion of the secondary mortgage market and its effect on the growth of private-label securitization, and discusses the events leading up to the return to more traditional lending programs and products.
ML - GMK - Limited and No-Income Verification Loans
15 MIN. During the mortgage lending boom, there were numerous nontraditional mortgage products available to
consumers, many of which were considered limited and no income verification loans. These products are no longer readily available due to the passage of laws such as the Ability to Repay Rule, which requires documentation of a borrower’s ability to repay a loan. This course provides an overview of interest-only loans and reviews the most popu-lar limited and no income documentation loan products
ML - GMK - Qualified Mortgages and Other Mortgage Types
30 MIN. On January 10, 2013, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued the Ability to
Repay/Qual-ified Mortgage Rule. This Rule provides that when creditors make “qualRepay/Qual-ified mortgages,” they may presume that the loans have met the requirements for establishing the borrower’s repayment ability. Since the new law creates a “safe harbor” from liability for loan originators who make loans that meet the characteristics of a qualified mortgage, there is incentive for loan originators to make such loans. Even so, loan originators are permitted to make other types of loans that may not necessarily meet the requirements of a qualified mortgage; however, such loans are not as popular in the current lending environment. This course provides an overview of adjustable-rate mortgages, reviews other types of mortgages, such as balloon mortgages, second mortgages, home equity lines of credit, construction loans, bridge loans, and reverse mortgages, and provides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance understanding of the material.
ML - GMK - The New Mortgage Product Landscape and Loan Terms
15 MIN. As a result of new and amended rules and regulations which encourage fair lending and consumer
pro-tection, many of the loan products formerly available during the mortgage lending boom are no longer permitted or extremely limited in the new mortgage marketplace. In addition, new products have emerged and certain other existing products have become more popular. In particular, loan modifications and other loss mitigation efforts are a hot topic in today’s mortgage landscape. With so many changes occurring in the lending environment, it is essential for industry professionals to be familiar with the various products in use, as well as the terms used in the operation of the mortgage market. This course provides an overview of the new mortgage product landscape, reviews the focus on loss mitigation, explains the various options available to borrowers who are facing default and foreclosure and reviews various industry terms.
Module 3: Mortgage Loan Origination Activities
This module contains 12 courses and is offered as part of the BankersEdge Mortgage Lending Series, or as a stand-alone program. Courses within this module are not offered on an individual basis.
ML - LOA - Ability-to-Repay/Qualified Mortgage Rule
15 MIN. In early 2013, the CFPB announced a number of changes to federal rules governing the mortgage industry. One of the most anticipated rules issued was the Ability-to-Repay/Qualified Mortgage Rule, which sets out new standards for considering borrower repayment ability and creates protections for qualified mortgages. In order to meet the standards outlined under the Rule, a creditor must make a reasonable, good faith determination that the con-sumer has the ability to repay the loan for which he/she has applied. This assessment must be based on reasonably reliable third-party records. This course provides an overview of the Ability-to-Repay/Qualified Mortgage Rule and reviews the requirements for creditors in verifying that a borrower has the ability to repay his/her loan.
ML - LOA - Completing the Mortgage Loan Application
30 MIN. The Uniform Residential Loan Application (Form 1003) is the standard form used by loan applicants applying for a mortgage. Applicants must present documentation to show the veracity of the information provided in the ap-plication. Both loan applicants and those assisting applicants in completion of the 1003, such as mortgage lenders, brokers, and loan originators, have legal and ethical responsibilities. The 1003 is a fairly extensive document and is used to compile a broad range of personal information, so understanding each section of the form is vital. This course provides an overview of each section of the Uniform Residential Loan Application, provides graphics to en-hance understanding, and discusses the documentation required to support information disclosed on the application.
ML - LOA - Financial Calculations Used in Mortgage Lending
30 MIN. Financial calculations are an important component of loan origination. While many mortgage professionals rely
on a financial/mortgage calculator or origination software to perform common functions such as loan-to-value compu-tations, understanding the basic principle of a particular computation is essential. This course provides an overview of the most widely used financial calculations in the mortgage lending process and reviews calculations related to periodic interest, interest per diem, taxes, mortgage insurance, down payment, loan-to-value, debt-to-income, and buy-downs.
ML - LOA - Mortgage Title & Insurance
15 MIN. Title insurance is defined as an “agreement to indemnify against loss arising from a defect in title to real
prop-erty, usually issued to the buyer of the property by the title company that conducted the title search.” Lenders require title insurance in order to protect themselves from risks that arise when securing a loan with a property. This course provides an overview of title insurance, reviews the various types, steps in the title process, and information related to liens, and reviews hazard, flood, and mortgage insurance.
ML - LOA - Purposes of Disclosures
15 MIN. Providing disclosures to consumers is essential in ensuring they stay informed throughout the loan process.
Disclosures serve various purposes and are required at different times. Some disclosures are intended to educate con-sumers, particularly when risky lending terms are involved, while others are meant to inform consumers about specific information regarding the loan they have already obtained or the loan they are about to obtain. Still other disclosures alert consumers of certain rights to which they may be entitled. Regardless of their intention, disclosures are closely regulated by state and federal law, and those mortgage professionals that do not adhere to disclosure requirements are likely to face enforcement action. This course provides an overview of disclosures required throughout the loan process and reviews how those disclosures intended to inform consumers about certain information related to their loan, as well as disclosures intended to inform consumers of certain rights.
ML - LOA - Qualification: Processing & Underwriting, Part I (Borrower Analysis)
15 MIN. The process of ensuring an applicant is qualified for a loan begins with analyzing the borrower’s assets
and liabilities, income, credit, and other characteristics related to his/her financial condition. In order to determine whether an applicant is fit, various calculations may need to be performed, specifically those related to the potential borrower’s income, which will vary depending upon whether the applicant is self-employed or a salaried, hourly, or commissioned employee. Also essential to assessing a loan applicant’s suitability for a loan is an examination of his/ her credit report. This course provides an overview of the analysis performed in order to determine whether a loan applicant is fit for a loan, which includes a review of his/her income, assets, and liabilities, reviews income calcu-lations, including examples, as well as detailed information relating to the credit report, and provides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance understanding of the material.
ML - LOA - Qualification: Processing & Underwriting, Part II (Qualifying Ratios)
15 MIN. The process of ensuring an applicant is qualified for a loan begins with analyzing the borrower’s assets and
liabilities, income, credit, and other characteristics related to his/her financial condition. Once the initial information is obtained, the lender will use various formulas to determine the amount for which the borrower will qualify. Such for-mulas will ensure that the borrower is matched with an appropriate product for his/her financial condition so that the loan is likely to be repaid in accordance with the terms of the lending agreement. This course provides an overview of qualifying ratios, including the front end ratio, the back end ratio, the loan-to-value ratio, the combined loan-to-val-ue ratio, and the high loan-to-valloan-to-val-ue ratio and reviews an example of each calculation presented.
ML - LOA - Qualification: Processing & Underwriting, Part III (Commitments and Underwriting) 15 MIN. Underwriting is the process of evaluating a loan applicant’s financial information and facts about the real
estate used to secure a loan to determine whether a potential loan is an acceptable risk for a lender. Lenders have underwriting departments which are responsible for determining whether the applicant meets the lender’s established loan program requirements. An underwriter’s principal responsibility is to ensure that the proposed loan meets the requirements set forth by the lender or investor who will purchase the mortgage. This course provides an overview of commitments and underwriting, reviews information related to credit, income analysis, assets, the subject property collateral, and required documentation and verification, and reviews common underwriting pitfalls to avoid.
ML - LOA - Specific Program Guidelines: FHA, VA, USDA
15 MIN. The program guidelines for non-conventional loans, including loans offered through the Federal Housing
Ad-ministration (FHA), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), vary depending on the type of loan. For example, the FHA requires borrowers to make a 3.5% down payment, while the VA requires a funding fee. This course provides an overview of the specific program guidelines of the FHA, VA, and USDA and reviews standards related to down payment, insurance, loan limits, and debt ratios.
ML - LOA - Suitability of Products and Programs
15 MIN. Loan suitability is the diligent matching of loan programs with the financial circumstances of consumers. As
a result of the emphasis on fair lending and consumer protection, as evidenced by the recent passage of rules by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), loan suitability has become more important in the current lending environment, although it has proven to be a source of debate among industry professionals and state and federal legislators. In order to ensure that loan applicants are matched with appropriate loan products, mortgage profession-als must assess the repayment ability of potential borrowers and, in some cases, must verify that they have completed counseling prior to obtaining certain types of loans. This course provides an overview of loan suitability, reviews how new legislation has changed the requirements for mortgage professionals and their responsibilities to their customers, and discusses the requirements related to financial and homeownership counseling.
ML - LOA - The Closing Process
15 MIN. Once all loan and title conditions have been satisfied, closing may be scheduled. It is vital that all of the
par-ties to the transaction know the time, date, and location of the loan closing. The first step in the post-closing process is funding, and once the file is returned to the lender by the closing agent, loan servicing begins. This course provides an overview of the closing and post-closing processes and reviews information related to title and title insurance, the duties of the closing agent, rescission, funding, and servicing.
ML - LOA - The Importance of Appraisals
15 MIN. Because the collateral for a mortgage loan is the subject property, the appraised value of the property is an
important consideration in loan approval. The lender must have a high level of confidence in the documentation pre-sented by the appraiser. It is essential for appraisals to be accurate, and overvaluation is a significant problem in the industry. This course provides an overview of the appraisal process, reviews the Uniform Residential Appraisal Report, and reviews various approaches used by appraisers in evaluating property.
Module 4: Ethics
This module contains 4 courses and is offered as part of the BankersEdge Mortgage Lending Series, or as a stand-alone program. Courses within this module are not offered on an individual basis.
ML - ETH - Ethical Standards and Industry Behaviors
30 MIN. Ethics plays a significant role in the mortgage lending industry. The ethical behavior of professional organiza-tions, third party service providers, consumers, mortgage brokers, loan originators, and loan processors must be con-sidered throughout the loan process and beyond. This course provides an overview of ethics as it pertains to industry players, as well as consumers and provides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance understanding of the material.
ML - ETH - Ethics—Federal Law Applicability
45 MIN. Federal mortgage laws are in place to ensure industry professionals act fairly and ethically throughout the loan process. Certain lending practices are specifically prohibited in order to promote ethical lending. Federal laws that are of particular importance in the discussion of ethical considerations include the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Truth-in-Lending Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and the Fair Housing Act. This course provides an overview of the ethical issues addressed in federal lending laws, describes the statutory provisions that are intended to curb unethical practices, and provides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance understanding of the material.
ML - ETH - Ethics—Mortgage Fraud and Consumer Protection
30 MIN. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines mortgage fraud as the intentional falsification of the truth in order to induce another person to part with something of value or to surrender a legal right as a result of the falsifica-tion. Costing the mortgage industry billions of dollars each year, fraud threatens the overall soundness of the entire mortgage market. It is a crime that impacts mortgage lenders, insurers, purchasers, and other industry players. Often referred to as the fastest growing white collar crime and as a problem of epidemic proportions, mortgage fraud is receiving increasing attention from the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and from federal and state legislators. This course provides an overview of the various types of mortgage fraud, reviews the techniques used in detecting fraud, and provides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance understanding of the material.
ML - ETH - Ethics, Disclosure and Appraisal
15 MIN. Disclosures serve various purposes and are required at different times throughout the loan process. Providing disclosures to consumers is essential in ensuring they stay informed. In addition, appraisals are an important consid-eration in loan approval. The lender must have a high level of confidence in the documentation presented by the ap-praiser. It is essential for both disclosures and appraisals to be timely and accurate. This course provides an overview of ethics as it pertains to disclosures and appraisals, specifically the obligations and prohibitions related to both and provides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance understanding of the material.
ML - CE - Coordinating Compliance: A Review of the Concurrent ATR/QM Rule
60 MIN. In January 2013, the CFPB began issuing new rules to implement revisions made by Congress to federal
lending laws, and to carry out the statutory directives imposed through the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Con-sumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act). The changes issued in 2013 were final rules adopted by the CFPB after the completion of rulemaking proceedings that began in 2011, when the agency assumed its regulatory functions. The CFPB has since issued a number of additional clarifications, amendments, and updates. In addition to these regu-latory actions, the CFPB also issued a Concurrent Rule addressing issues which were not directly resolved through publication of the Ability-to-Repay/Qualified Mortgage Rule (ATR/QM Rule) on January 10, 2013. The Concurrent Rule was published in the Federal Register on June 12, 2013. This course reviews of the Concurrent Rule, addresses issues within the Concurrent Rule, and provides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance understanding of the material.
ML - CE - Ethics in the New Landscape of Consumer Protection
120 MIN. With the advent of recent CFPB amendments to key federal laws regulating the mortgage industry, it is
essential for mortgage professionals to be familiar with and understand how to apply these changes in their daily business. Created with the intent to increase consumer protection and ensure safe, honest, and ethical transactions, these amendments have a significant impact on the mortgage lending process as a whole. This course reviews the 2013 HOEPA Rule, the ECOA Valuations Rule, TILA HPML Appraisal requirements, the TILA Escrow Rule, and TILA and RESPA Mortgage Servicing Rules, reviews the fundamental aspects of all of these rules describes the issues within the industry which the CFPB hopes to resolve through their implementation, defines the importance of these new rules to the mortgage landscape, and highlight compliance concerns that may arise as they take effect in 2014, and provides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance understanding of the material.
ML - CE - Making Nontraditional Mortgage Loans in the New Era of CFPB Regulation
120 MIN. The SAFE Act defines a “nontraditional mortgage product” as any mortgage product other than a 30-year
fixed-rate mortgage. This very broad definition reflects the reaction of Congress to the imprudent lending practices that preceded the 2007 collapse of the mortgage lending market. In the wake of catastrophic market losses, any home loans other than the most conservative were suddenly regarded as risky. This course reviews the history of non-traditional lending, describes the regulations that are intended to help consumers refinance risky nonnon-traditional loans with new nontraditional mortgages that have safer product features, and reviews the impact of new rules associated with nontraditional mortgage lending.
The following mortgage lending continuing education courses feature NMLS-approved content and align with requirements enacted by the SAFE Act.
This package of 4 courses is included in the Mortgage Lending Series or can be purchased as a stand-alone offering. Courses within this module are not offered on an annual basis.
CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES
ML - CE - Playing by the New Rules: A Guide to ATR/QM and Loan Originator Compensation 180 MIN. In early 2013, the CFPB announced a number of changes to federal laws governing the mortgage industry. As these amendments go into effect, it is more important now than ever before that mortgage professionals are famil-iar – and in compliance – with the law. Two of the most anticipated rules issued are the Ability-to-Repay/Qualified Mortgage Rule, which sets out new standards for considering borrower repayment ability and creates protections for qualified mortgages, and the Loan Originator Compensation Rule, which provides guidance for defining and cal-culating compensation for originators in loan transactions. This course provide students with the essential information necessary to understanding the ATR/QM Rule, provides a review of the regulatory and industry concerns considered by the CFPB in its rulemaking, reviews the importance of these new rules to the mortgage landscape, highlights compliance concerns that may arise as they take effect in 2014, and provides a “Discussion Scenario” to enhance understanding of the material.
Each year billions of U.S. dollars are illegally concealed and profited upon. As a mortgage
professional, understanding the process of money laundering, identifying red flags, and the process for reporting suspicions is critical. Mortgage lenders and originators are now subject to anti-money and suspicious activity regulations.
ADDITIONAL MORTGAGE COURSES
AML & SAR for Mortgage Lenders and Originators
60 MIN. Under the expanded money laundering (AML) and suspicious activity report (SAR) final rule that took effect in
August 2012, mortgage lenders and originators are now subject to AML and suspicious activity regulations. In this course, students will learn about the money-laundering process, key AML legislation, money-laundering prevention, and SAR filing requirements. This course provides an overview of the money-laundering process and reviews key AML legislation, money-laundering prevention, and SAR filing requirements.
